Method and apparatus for making knife handles and component parts thereof



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` lNvE moras f'Z-z/x Mlm/wo June 2, 1942. F. A. MIRANDO x-:TAL 2,284,833

METHOD AND APPARATUSFGR MAKING KNIFE HANDLES AND GOMPONENT PARTS THEREOF Original Filed July 6, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IE pliiiriam Eagle'.

FEL/X Mlm/Joa /ff/vky Vassar/e June 2. 1942 rF. A. MlRANDo ETAI. 2,284,833

METHOD. AND APPARTUS FOR MAKING KNIFE HANDLES AND COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 6, 1938 ATTORNEY June 2, 1942. MIRANDO |-:r1vu. 2,234,833

` METHOD AND APPARATUS FQRMAKING KNIFE Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 HANDLES AND .COMPONENT PARTS V'.'LI'IEREOF Orlgnal Filed July 6, 1938 Fiplll ATTORNEY Jupe 2, 1942. I F. A. MIRANDO Erm.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING KNIFE HANDLES AND COMPONENT P ARTS THEREOF Original Filed July 6, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .mmmmmmm xNvENToRs FEL/x .4. Mmm/00 HENRY VassLER d v l ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 19 42 o METHOD .AND APPARATUS FON H'MAKING KNIFE HANDLES AND COMPONENT PARTS THEBEOF Felix A. Mirando and Henry Vossler, Providence, B. l., assignors to Imperial Knife Company, Inc., Providence, R.. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Original application July 6,V 1938, Serial No.

1939, Serial No. 285,862

llClaims.

Our invention relates to knife handles. More particularly, our invention relates to a novel method and apparatus for making knife handles having ornamental scale covering members.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide in an apparatus for making knife handles Divided and this application `uly 22,

(Cl. 18-19) i' steps -of forming and punching out the scale frcm a sheet of material, f

Fig. rI is a vertical sectional view of a suitable heating oven having a hotter zonefor heating of theivcharacter described novel means for` mounting the ornamental scale covering member on the handle.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel methodI of assembling anornamental scale covering member and a scale to form a Vknife handle, whereby the said scale'covering` and scale are relatively captively held- Still another object of our invention is to provide a method of assembling an ornamental scale covering member and a scale in which the assembly is effected by a novel manner of deforming the scale covering member.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a novel and highly efficient method and apparatus of the character described which shall be simple in operation and economical in manufacture, and which at the same time shall present a general improvement in the art.

Other objects of our invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Certain features shown and described but not claimed in this application are shown, described and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 217,826, filed July 6, 1938, for Knife handles and component parts thereof, of which the pres` ent application is a division.

-The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts and steps which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafterI described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims..

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Fig. l is aperspective view of a jack knife constructed in accordance with our invention,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view therethrough taken along the line 2 2 'of Fig. 1', Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken therethrough along the line 3-'3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the vscale before assembly,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the scale covering member before assembly,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view through a suitable apparatus illustrating the the scale and a less hot zone for Iheating the plastic sheets and adapted in use to be adjacent the press, l

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of our apparatus for assembling the scale covering and scale shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

Fig. 9 is a front elevationalview of the appa ratus shown in Fig. 8, but oi` reduced size,

Fig. lO'is a plan view of the die portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 9, with the plunger and plate actuating means removed,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged partly sectional View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 9, illustrating a step in the operation thereof, I

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional View similar to Fig. 11 but showing still another step in the operation thereof,

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional View taken along 4 line |3-l3 ofvFig, 10,'

Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are sectional views illustrating various steps ofl assembling a knife handle in accordance with our invention, and

Fig. 17 is apcrspective view of 'a knife handle assembled in accordance with our invention.-

In Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings there is shown a jack knife I0 having a handle comprising a scale 54 and an ornamental scale covering member 62 assembled in accordance with l our invention.

c Although a jack knife l0 of specific construction has been used for thepurpose of illustrating 'our invention, it is to be understood that We are not limited to this vform of construction, but may employ a knife handle fabricated by means of our novelfmethod and apparatus with any other type of knife known in the art.

The knife Il) may consist of any suitable standard type of knife handle frame such as, for example, the frame l2, comprisingspaced top, bottom and intermediate liningsheets lli, i6 and lil respectively having a pivot rivet 20 joining 1said lining sheets together at one-end thereof and the large and small knife blades 22 'and 24 each having a mounting end pivotally mounted on said pivot rivet 2U, said mounting end being arcuately curved as at 26. Each blade vcontains an opposite pointed end 23, an outer blunt edge 30 andan inner sharp edge 32. They outer blunt edge `3|) is inset as at 34 from a point interior of said pivot rivet to said curved mounting end 26 to provide at this point a stopshoulder 34.

one side thereof extending concavely inwardly as 5 at 48 at one end thereof to receive the pointed end 28 of itsprespeetive blade', and then substanl tially parallel to theopposite side wall 42l thereof as at 44 to provide a compartment 4I for holding the sharp edge 82 of the knife blade in closed 10 position and to provide.y a resilientl leaf 46 to yieldingly resiliently abut the curved mounting end 26 of each blade and terminating near the mounting pivot end of said lining member as at' curved mounting end of said blade to retain said blade in open position in line with said handle frame I2. Supplemental rivets- 58 are also pro-v vided extending through said lining sheets I4,

. ferred embodiment shown, of ornamental plastic material extending over the surface of and secured to the center inset portion 58 of beach respective combination member 54. l

-While our improved combination members 54 are preferably constructed of stamped or pressed metal, it is apparent they may be constructed of plastic or any othersuitable material.' While any means may be employed for securing our improved combination members 54 to the ,top and bottom surfacesof the knife handle frame I2, lin our preferred embodiment we preferably provide the top and bottom lining sheets I4 and I8 with the raisedvlongitudinal notch forming por, 48 to abut said blade stopl shoulder 34 near the 15 tions 64 at the center portion of each end thereof, which notch forming portions may be readily \stamped in said lining sheets as they are lbeing '-stamped or otherwise fabricated, and we provide a projection 66 projecting downwardly from each I6 and I8 and block spacing members 38 to .'.IOin 20 end of each member 54 adapted to be bent to said sheets and members together to providel a knife handle frame. In the prior art rboth the joining rivets 58 and thepivot rivet 28 have had to be of relatively small vsize so that the heads 52 thereof could be ground down to be flush with 25 the top and bottom surfaces of said respective lining members I4 and I8, to receive the inner fiat surfaces of the flat scales andjtips or bolsters formerly employed evenly thereon.

However, by employing the knife handle made 30 in accordance with our invention, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, we may use largerA size pivot and other rivets 28 and 58 which may be provided withlarge upset heads projecting outwardly from the outer surfaces/of the top and 35 bottom lining sheets `I4 and I8 respectively.

We provide combination scale and bolster or tip forming members 54 for covering the top and bottom surfaces of said frame, said members being of the general configuration of the 40 top and bottom walls of said frame. While said members may be stamped, molded or otherwise constructed of solid formation, in our preferred embodiment each preferably comprises an elongated inverted oblong cup of the configuration ,45

of the top or bottom wall of said frame, each member therefore being provided with an interior cupped portion 56 forming a space 55 between the outer wall 5l of each member and the outer surface of the top and bottom lining sheets I4 and I8 of the knife handle frame I2 to receive therein the enlarged heads 52 of the large respective rivets 28 and 58 hitherto described. It is apparent that our improved combination members may be readily stamped. pressed or otherwise fabricated from sheet material in this cup formation. In our preferred embodiment, each of said members is preferably provided with -an inset elongated center portion 58 for holding the scale covering which may be/ readily stamped, pressed, or otherwise formed in the fabrication of our improved combination members, thereby providing the bolsters or tips 68 at each end of our irnproved combination member 54 projecting outwards above saidinset center portion' 58. If the 6 exposed metal surfaces 68 at the ends of said combination members 54 are of considerable length they have been called bolsters in the trade, but if they are of relatively short length they have been called tips in the trade and it is .m

prising a sheet of covering material in our pre- 75 slide into each respective longitudinal frame notch 64 t retain its respective member 54 to said handle frame I2. It is apparent, however, that, if desired, other means may be employed for securing the respective combination members to the top\ and bottom surfaces of said knife handle frame and for this purpose the ends of the combination members 54 may, if desired, be alternatively soldered or spot welded to the ends of the respective top and bottom surfaces of the handle frame. if desired.

While we preferably employ a plastic material. such as ornamental Celluloid, synthetic resin of the phenol or urea formaldehyde condensation or other type, cellulose acetate, rubber or otherwise as our improved plastic covering sheet '52, it is apparent that the covering sheet may comprise any other suitable plasticizable resilient material.

vWhile we have shown the member 54 as provided with tips or bolsters 68 at each end thereof, it is to be understood that our invention can satisfactorily be applied to scale holding members when in a plastic condition along the respective lines of folding only to retain said plastic sheet 62 over the surface of the inset center portion 58 of said scale in shrunk, drum tight condition when deplasticized without other retaining means. In this manner the scale member 62 may be supported on the scale 54 independent of all other agencies such as for example the knife frame I2 and is thereby wholly self-held to the said scale. While the particular method we employ for this purpose is particularly advantageous in securing a plastic sheet invdrum tight condition'over the inset center portion of such a member without longitudinal shrinkage, our improved method may be employed for covering the entire` surface of such a scale. The plasticsheet 62 is preferably superimposed over the surface of said center inset portion when in a semiplastic condition and the edges 88 thereof readily folded over the inset edges 59 of said center portion 58 and suitable heat provided along the fold lines I8V only by means of applying greater pressure against said fold lines to plasticize the covering along the fold lines only so that it may be shrunk on said device along said fold lines only. We

have discovered that if the entire plastic sheet be rendered plastic it will shrink so much on cooling that gaps will be left at each end of the plastic sheet within the respective ends of the inset portion 68. It, however, the plastic sheet be rendered plastic along said fold lines only there will be no appreciable longitudinal shrinkage thereof and only sufficient transverse shrink-'- age to insure that the sheet will extend in shrunk,

drum. tight'condition over the surface of said inset portion. f

-` Employing our invention we are also` enabled .U10-.030 inch.

The scale 54 may be `formed in any suitable ,mannen such as bymeans of a pressing punch and cutter `like those diagrammatically illus-` trated in' Fig. 6, although other types of shaping, forming or cutting devices may be employed. A continuous sheet of sheet metal 'I6 is drawn from a roll 82 of such sheet metal and fed into a pressing device 12 having cooperating dies 84, 86 shaped to form the inset center portion 8 and tips or holsters 60 of the scale 54. At the right hand side of Fig. 6 we have illustrated a suitable cutting device for cutting out the members 5I previously shaped in the pressing device 12. The cutter includes a cutting tool 88 and cutting form 99, each of which is so shaped that the members 5l may be c t out of the metal strip I6 with the projections 6 projecting from each end thereof. The sheet 16 may be fed continuously at a slow speed as the punch M and cutting tool 88, operate very quicklyor said strip 'I6 may be fedforward at intermittent intervals in synchronization with the operation of the punch and cutter in any suitable manner.

' The ornamental scale covering member 62 may 'be formed in any suitable manner, such as by die cutting from a sheet to form a blank' 62 as shown in Fig. 5; This blank 62 is adapted to be used with a scale 5l to form a handle for a. jack knife such Aas illustrated at Figs. 1 to 3. This scale covering member 62 comprises a thin 'sheet of without other retaining means and without substantial longitudinal shrinkage of said covering. Td bend the upturned edges 68 of saidgcov'ering material we preferablyl move the heated members 80 obliquely laterally'and downwardly over the edges of said inset center portion of .said v scale at a lesser. distance than the'thickness of said plastic sheet to fold the edges of said plastic sheet over the edges of said inset, center portion oi said scale. This step is illustrated in Fig. 16.

We thus apply sufilcient pressure .between said plastic sheet and the edges 59 of said center portion 58 of said scale to apply suillcient heat to the thus vformed fold lines to render them plastic, whereby after removing said thus assembled means from said-movable means on the cooling or deplasticizing of said fold lines of said covering, the covering will shrink laterally .along said folding lines onlyto achieve' the aforedescribed. results. If desired, our invention 'may also be satisfactorily. accomplished by omitting the step of preheating `the rScale covering 62 and the scale 54 previously described Vin connection with Fig. '1.

If the entire covering is rendered Vplastic i during the heat treatment, it will tend to shrink longitudinally to have gaps at the ends'thereof and laterally so that the edges may unbend.

Y While the edges thereofY may be bent without at the same time heating them, they will not retain a set position to shrink the covering over the surface of the scale in drum tight condition.

It is obvious that substantially the same method may be employed it it be desired to wrap the covering over the entire surface of thescale', and that a similar l method may bev employed employing a ilat scale if the edges 68 be first bent upwardly in any suitable manner before being bent inwardly and having applied thereto sufornamental plastic covering material of a length substantially equal to the length of the inset center portion 58 of the scale 54 and of a width substantially greater than said portion 58.

where sufficient pressure is applied against the a temperature of about 100 to ,120 F. We heat Y the scale 54 to a greater degree, which in the embodiment shown is a temperature of from about 200 to 300 F. We then as shown in Fig. 14 relatively superimpose said scale 5'4 on a sheet 62 and exert suillcient relatively slightly yieldable pressure against said scale and plastic sheet timmerty a. forming tool m to bend it against a heated surface, such as that of the forming die 18 of substantially equal width and length and substantially similarly transversely arched as the surface of the inset center portion 'of said scale to similarly shape said plastic sheet in concave formation as shown in Fig. l5, permitting the edges 68 of said sheet to project obliquely upwardly from said yieldingly compressed arched surfaces. We then by suitable means bend the then upturned edges 66 of the covering sheet 62 inwardly over theedges 459 of said scale and apply suiiicient pressure againstthe thus formed fold lines .l0 to render them plastic, whereby on cooling said-plastic. sheet will shrink laterally along said yfold lines 18 only to retain saidcovering over the surface' of the inset center portion of said scale in shrunk, drum tight condition 75' 100 and 120F.

iicient pressure to render them plastic during the bending of the edges. As stated, the plastic sheet and scale are only yieldably held together with a slight degree of pressure and tension leaving a certain amount of occluded insulating gases between them, which prevent suflicient rapid conduction of heat to permit the entire surface of the plastic sheet to become plastic. It is only infolded edges 'I0 of said plastic sheets to compress them strongly against the edges 59 of the scalevl that any substantial amount of heat conduction takes place.

While our improved method may be carried cut in any suitable manner we haveLshown in the drawings a suitable type of apparatus for carrying it out, including particularly an assembly apparatus particularly ,designed by us for this purpose and including ah press having novel combination features.

Incarrying out our improved method the scale forming members 54 are preferably heated to a relatively high temperature in the relatively hot zone of a suitable heater 92, shown in Fig. 7, and the plastic sheets 62 are suitably heated to a lesser temperature in a lem hot zone of said heater 92, heat being suitably supplied to heater 92 by the lgas burner 94 or any type of gas, electric, or

other heating means which rst heats the plate 96 forming theI hotter zone for heating the scale 54 to .a relatively higher temperature,l namely from 200 to 300 F. andthe plate 98 above it to a lesser degree by conduction and convection for holdingthe plastic sheets'62 which are heated in the apparatusshown to a temperature between As stated, our improved assembly apparatus is more particularly shown in Figs. 8 to 13. Said device includes a table mounted on a suitable surface, such as by the legs |02. In the embodiment shown the table includes a top |00. the base mounted thereon and the plate |03 mounted on said base. A block |04 is rigidly mounted on the table having a substantially oblong hole |06 extending' centrally therethrough designed to be substantially. the length of the inset center portion 58 of said scale 54. lSaid block |04 has an upper wall tapering downwardly on each side of said oblong hole |06 as at |06.- A forming die ||0 is yieldably resiliently mounted on the table |00 to vertically reciprocate within said oblong hole |06as shown more particularly in Fig. 11 by having a cylinder `I I2 projecting downwardly through a hole |05 in said table, having a piston ||4 reciprocal within and supported in said cylinder by a spring ||6, the upper end of said piston having the forming die ||0 rigidly mounted thereon to reciprocate downwardly as said piston ||4 sinks in said cylinder ||2 against the pressure of the spring ||6. The lower end of the pistonlmay extend through the lower end of the cylinder ||2 and be provided with suitable adjusting and lock nuts ||8 and |20 for adjustably limiting the resistance ofthe spring ||6. The forming die I0 is provided with an elongated transversely arched cavity or surface 18 therein for holding the similarly transversely arched inset center portion 58. Upper forming plates 80 rest on the downwardly tapering portions |08 of said block with the inner vertically extending ends |24 thereof extending a distance laterally within said hole |06 as Ishown in Fig. 12.

In our preferred embodiment, we provide guide plates |26 overlying said forming plates 80 rigidly'secured to said frame with the inner ends .|28 thereof terminating a distance further apart than the inner ends of said forming plates to provide an oblong guide slot 29 for the reception of the flat plastic covering sheet 62 therein. To retain the scale 54 in desired alignment over said plastic sheet we provide suitable guide means, such as the stanchions |30, suitably mounted on said table |00 at each end of said oblong hole |06, each having a guide slot |32`of 'the respective size of the bolster or tip of said scale therein,

said guide means |30 extending a suilicient distance above said oblong plastic sheet receiving slet |29 to receive the tips or bolsters 60 of said scale within above said plastic sheet. We also provide a guideway |34 extending vertically above' said forming die ||0 having pins |38 projecting laterally thereof and the plunger |36 vertically reciprocatably mounted vabove said hole |06 on said guideway |34 having a cross head |40 mounted thereon adjacent 'the lower end of said guideway |34, said cross head having a pin |42 extending horizontally of each end thereof exterior of said guideway and a holding tool |44 of substantially the length of said inset scale cavity 58, less yieldably resiliently mounted on the lower end thereof. Said tool |44 may be re-y siliently mounted on the lower end of the plunger |36 in similar fashion as the forming die ||0 is mounted onthe table |00, namely, by providing a` cylinder |46 depending downwardly from the lower end of the plunger having `.a piston |48 reciprocatably mounted therein with said forming tool |44 being mounted on the lower end of said piston, lthe upper end of said piston bearing resiliently against said cylinder against the pressure of the spring |50,the relative tension of which may be adjusted by means of the adjusting or lock`nuts |52 and |54 at the opposite end of the cylinder |46 within the plunger |36.

We providetoggles |56 for obliquely recipro cating each respective forming plate 80 comprising an outer toggle link |58 connected to the outer respective edgeof said block |04 and an inner toggle link |60 connected to ea'ch respective forming plate and an operating toggle link |62 having a vertical slot |64 therein for receiving said cross head pins |42. Spring means |68 are Vprovided connecting the upper ends of said toggle operating linksv |64y to their respective guldeway pins |36 and pivot means |66 are provided connecting the lower v[ends of said operating toggle links and the upper ends of said toggle links |58 and |60. Any suitable type of means, such as the electric resistance cartridges |10 may be provided to heat the block |04 to apply heat by conduction tothe die I0 and the forming plates 60. -Any suitable means may be provided to vertically reciprocate the plunger |36, such as the lever |12 pivotally mounted on said press as at |14 having a treadle (not shown) for operating the same and the opposite end |18 tting in a( suitable slot |60 in the plunger |36 to raise and lower the plunger.

It is thus obvious that our improved apparatus includes a forming block |04 having a slot |06 therein, forming means movable over the surface of said block intosaid slot |06 and means for retaining the plastic sheet in position over said slot and forming means and an article to be wrapped over said plastic sheet comprising in the embodiment shown the guide stanchions |30, forming die I0 yieldably resiliently mounted to reciprocate within said slot, a plunger |36 vertically reciprocatably mounted above said slot to reciprocate within said slot, holding tool |44 less yieldably resiliently'mounted on the lower end of said plunger adapted on the initial lowering of said plunger to force said article 54 and plastic sheet 62 within said hole |06 so that the edges thereof abut said forming means or plates 80 and means operable on further lowering of said plunger for obliquely reciprocating said respective forming means inwardly of said slot, said means operable on further lowering of said plunger comprising the' cross head |40 whichv contacts the toggle operating links to operate the toggles .to reciprocate the forming plates 80 obliquely inwards of said slot |06 and .means initial lowering of the plunger |36 said holding tool |44 abuts the scale 54 to force the plastic sheet 62 downwardly on said forming die to cause said forming die to yieldingly lower withinpsaid oblong hole |06 and said plastic sheet 62 to sink within -the hole formed between the inner ends of said guide plates |26 permitting the edges 60 of said plastic sheet to abut the inner ends of said forming plates 80. It is then obvious that in this position of the plunger as shown in Fig. 15, the scale is only yieldably pressed against the plastic sheet, the pressure, however, being sumcient to bend the plastic sheet to the position shown'in Fig. 15 whether it be heated to a semiplastic condition or not heated, suiicient heating taking place through conduction in the die to somewhat heat the plastic sheet. It is then obvious lthat on further lowering of the plunger |36 with the depression of the spring not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim t ajasessa is unbroken and which is self-held to an elongated `scialle, means for supporting said scale scale covering members in relatively superimposed relationship, and reciprocably translatable means for lfolding said scale covering member over said scale, the. folding surfaceof'said means being spaced away from a longitudinal edge of over the inset edges 59 of the inset center portions 58 of said scale and to compress thefold lines `I0 of said plastic sheet'with suflicient pressureagainst said heated scale member to plasticize said fold lines'l so that on cooling thereof they may become shrunk in drum tight condition over the surface of the inset center portion 58 of said scale. When the plungeris again raised it is obvious lthat the springs |08 will immediately return the toggles |55 and plates 80 said scale when in operative relationship thereto a distance lessA than the thickness of said plastic covering member. f l I 3. In an apparatus of the character described for manufacturing knife handleshaving a plasto the position shown in Figs. 9 and 14. It is i apparent, however, that our apparatus may be readily modified to completely cover the surface of the scale, by omitting theM guide stanchions and providing oblong vslots in the .plates 80, or a plurality ofplates may be provided to converge around the oblong hole in a manner .similar to a camera shutter. Even vif a :dat scale holding member be employedthe forming means or plates are preferably compressed at a slight oblique angle to not only bend theedges 68 ofl said plastic material over the edges 59 of said scale but to additionally press them against said edges to plasticize them. In the/'improved embodiment of the apparatus shown we preferablyheat the device between 100 to A200 E., the plastic sheets being preferably preheated to 100 F. and the scale being preferably heatedv between 200 and 300 F. If desired, however, the press portions which contact the work may be heated suilciently to render the plastic sheet plastic, and the means for preheating the plastic sheets and scale may be omitted.

It will thus be seen thatwe have provided a method and means by which `the several objects of this invention are achieved and 4which is well adapted to meet tle conditions of practical use,

As various possible embodiments' might ,be

changes might be made in the embodiments above setA forth, it is to be understood that all matter set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:'

1.In an apparatus of the character described for manufacturing knife handles having a plastic scale covering member whose exposed surface is unbroken and which is self-held to an elongated scale, means for supporting said scale and scale covering members in relatively superimposed relationship, means for 'pressingv together said scale and lsaid scale covering members, means for folding said scale covering member over said scale, heating means, and means for pressing said heating means against said fold lines whereby to plasticize the same said last named means being so constructed and arranged that the pressure exerted between said heating means and said fold lines is greater than the pressure applied between said scale and scale covering members. 1

Vmade of the above invention, and as various as illustrative and tic yscale covering member whose exposed `surface is unbroken and which self-held to an elongated scale, meansforsupporting said scale and scale covering members in relatively superimposed relationship, reciprocably translatable `means for folding said scale covering member over said scale, the folding surface of said means being spaced away from'a longitudinal edge of said scale when in operative relationship thereto a distance less than the thickness of said plastic covering member, and means for heating said last named means.

4. Assembly apparatus comprising a, forming block having a slot therein, forming means movable over the'surface of said block into said slot, means for retaining a plastic wrapping sheet and an article to be wrapped in position over said slot and said forming means, a forming die yieldingly resiliently mounted to vertically reciprocate ,within said slot, a plunger vertically reciprocatably mounted above said slot to reciprocate within said slot, a holding tool less yieldably resiliently mounted on the lower end of said plunger adapted on initial lowering of said plunger to force said article and wrapping sheet within said slot so that the edges' of said wrapping sheet' abut said forming means, means operable on further lowering ofsaid plunger for recipnocat-` ing said forming means inwardly of said slot and means to resiliently return said last mentioned means to raised position on raising of said plunger.

, 5. Assembly apparatus comprising a forming block having a slot therein, forming means movable over the surface of said block into said slot. means for retaining la plastic wrapping sheet and 'an article to be wrapped in position over said slot and said forming means, a forming die yieldingly resiliently mounted to vertically reciprocate within said slot, a plunger vertically reciprocatably mounted above said slot to reciprocatewithin said slot, a holdingtool less yieldably resiliently mounted on the lowerend of said plunger adapted on initial lowering of said plunger to vforce said article and wrapping sheet within said slot so that the edges of said wrapping sheet abut said forming means, means operable on` l further lowering of said plunger for obliquely reciprocating said forming means inwardly of said slot and means to rilently return said last mentioned means to raised position on rais- 2. In an apparatus of the character described ing of said plunger.

6. Apparatus for use in the assembly of scale forming means for knife handles comprising a scale and a covering of plastic material of greater area than that of said scale having the edges 'thereof folded over the edges of said scale, comprising a table, a block mounted on said table having a hole extending centrally therethrough, a forming die having means thereon for holding the scale yieldingly resiliently mounted on said tableto vertically reciprocate within tic scale covering member whose exposed surface and.4

- terminating a distance further apart than the inner ends of said forming means to provide a guide slot for the reception of a fiat plastic covering sheet therein, a guideway extending vertically above said forming die, a plunger vertically, reciprocatably mounted on said guideway above said table hole, a holding tool of substan4 tially the length of said scale cavity less yieldably resiliently mounted on the lower end thereof, means operable on further lowering of said plunger for reciprocating each respective forming means inwardly of said block hole, means to resiliently returnsaid last mentioned means to raised position on raising of said plunger and means to vertically reciprocate said plunger.

7. Apparatus for use in the assembly of scale forming means for knife handles comprising a scale and a covering of plastic material of greater area than that of said scale having the edges thereof folded over the edges of said scale, comprising a table, a block rigidly mounted on said table 'having a hole extending centrally therethrough and an -upper wall tapering downwardly towards said hole, a forming die having .means thereon for holding the scale yieldingly resiliently-mounted on said table to vertically reciprocate within said block hole, upper forming .meansresting on the downwardly tapering portions of said block with the inner vertically e'xtending end thereof normally extending a distance within said block hole, guide means overlying said forming means rigidly secured to said block' with the inner end thereof terminating a distance further apart than the inner ends of said forming means to provide a guide slot for the reception of a flat plastic covering sheet therein, a guideway extending vertically above said forming die, a plunger vertically, reciprocatably mounted on said guideway above said table hole, a holding ltool of substantially the length of said scale cavity less yieldably resiliently mounted on the lower end thereof, means operable on further lowering of said plunger for obliquely reciprocating each respective forming means inwardly of said block hole, means to resiliently return said last mentioned means to raised position on raising of said plunger and means to vertically reciprocate said plunger.

8. Assembly apparatus comprising a forming block having a slot therein, forming means movable into said slot, means for retaining a plastic wrapping sheet and an article to be wrapped in position over said slot and said forming means, means to move said wrapping sheet and said article together into said slot so that said wrapping sheet makes line contact with said forming means, and means for moving said forming means inwardly of said slot.

9. In a method of manufacturing a knife handle having an elongated arched scale with an elongated inset central portion with bolsters or tips at each end thereof and a plastic scale covering member of substantially the same length as said inset central portion, and whose surface is unbroken and which covering member is selfheldl to said scale, those steps comprising relatively superimposing said. covering member on said inset central portion in such manner as'to dispose a pair of opposed edges of said covering member immediately adjacent said tips or bolsters, plasticizing only portions adjacent edges of said covering member and displacing said plasticized portions relatively to the remainder of said covering member in such manner as to. bring said displaced portion under said scale to anchor said scale covering member to said scale and to cause said remainder to allow shrinking of said covering member only transversely of said inset central portion.

10. In a method of manufacturing a knife handle having an elongated arched scale with an elongated inset central portion with bolsters or tips at each end thereof and a plastic scale covering member of substantially the same length as said inset central portion, and whose surface is unbroken and which covering member is self-held to said scale, those steps comprising relativelysuperimposing said covering member on said inset central'portion in such manner as to dispose a pair of opposed edges of said covering member immediately adjacent said tips or holsters, folding over portions adjacent edges of said scale covering member around the longitudinal edges of said inset central portion and plasticizing said scale covering member only at said folds, whereby said scale covering member l retains its folded shape, is anchored to said scale, and shrinks only transversely of said inset central portion.

1.1.A In a method of manufacturing a knife hanf Asters, bending portions adjacent edges of said scale covering member in such manner as to dispose said portionsr under said scale and plasticizing said scale covering member only at said bends, whereby said covering member retains its benthape, is anchored to said scale and shrinks A only transversely of said inset central portion.

12. In a method of manufacturing knife handles having a plastic scale covering member which is self-held to an elongated scale, those steps comprising pre-heating said scale covering member without plasticizing the same, relatively superimposing said scale covering member on said scale, plasticizing only portions vadjacent the edges of said scale .covering member and displacing said plasticized portions relatively to the unplasticized remainder of said covering member in such manner as to bring said displaced portions under.. said scale topan'chor said scale covering member to said scale.

13. In a method of manufacturing knife handles having a plastic scale covering member which is self-held to an elongated scale, those steps comprising relatively superimposing said scale covering member on said scale, plasticizing only portionsadjacent the edges of said scale covering member, stretching said scale covering member over the top of said scale, and displacing said plasticized portions relative to the unplasticized remainder of said covering member in such manner asto vbring saiddisplaced portions under said scale to anchor said scale covering member to said scale.

scale covering member on said scale, plasticizing only transversely spacedv portions adjacent the edges of said scale covering member and displacing said plasticized portions relativelyto the unplasticized remainder of said covering member in such manner as to bring said displaced portions under said scale whereby to anchor said scale covering member to said scale and whereby Asaid unplasticized remainder allows shrinkage of said covering member only transversely of said scale.

15. In a method of-r'n'anufacturing knife handles having a plastic scale covering member whichV is self-held t'o an elongated scale, lthose steps comprisingY relatively superimposing said scale covering member on said scale, plasticizing only portions adjacent the edges of said' scale covering memberrand displacing said plasticized portions relatively to the unplasticized remainder of vsaid covering member in such manner as to bring saiddisplaced portions under said scale to anchor said scale covering member to said scale, said unplasticizedv remainder serving to prevent shrinking of said covering member'except in said means for supporting said scale and said scale covering member in relatively superimposed relationship with a pair of opposed edges of said scale covering member immediately adjacent said tips or bolsters, means for plasticizing only portions adjacent edges. of said covering member, vand means for displacing said plasticized portions relatively to the unplasticized remainder of said covering member in such manner asta bring said displaced portions under said scale whereby to anchor said scale covering member 4to said scale and to cause said unplasticized rmainder to allow shrinkage of said covering lmember only transversely of said, inset central handles including an elongated arched scale plasticized portions to thus control the tension in` .having an elongated central portion with bolstersor tips at. either end thereof and a plastic scale covering member whose surface is unbroken andwh'ich is self-held to said scale, said covering member being ofsubstantially the sarnel length as said inset central portion, the combination of means for supporting said scale and said-scale covering member in relatively superimposed relationship with a pair of opposed edges of said scale covering member immediatelyl adjacent said tips or holsters, means for folding over portions adiacent edges of said scale covering member around the lon itudinalV edges of said inset central portion, an means vfor plasticizing said scale covering member only at said folds whereby said covering member retains its folded shape, is anchored to said scale, and shrinks only transversely of said-inset central portion.

FELIX A.fMIRANDO. HENRY VOSSLER. 

